Setting the Stage

Context: Logged-in homepage experience for existing users

Goal: Increase engagement with learning resources and improve conversion (from trial to full paid subscription)

Challenges: 

• The logged-in homepage was crowded, with many elements competing for attention. 

• There was no difference between the logged-out homepage and the logged-in homepage. The logged-in homepage looked like a marketing page.

• The logged-in homepage didn’t help get users where they wanted to go.

Role: Manager UX/UI

The Problem

• Users were overwhelmed by options and not engaging deeply with content

• Product & Marketing teams believed page was optimized

• UX identified opportunity to update the homepage using search behavior data

• User feedback:

  • Ok, I have a login to the product! Now what?

  • Where do I begin?

  • How do I get my students into this?

  • What should I assign?

  • Will this fit into my curriculum?

  • I don’t know where to start!

  • I need to teach a specific skill…

  • I can’t find what I am looking for!

UX Hypothesis

• If we use search data (what users are actively looking for) to inform the cards shown on the homepage, users will find more relevant resources faster

• Include  “Decodable Books,”  which surfaced unprompted in over 80% of user research sessions as a resource users consistently sought out, even in unrelated studies.

• This relevance will increase engagement and conversion

The Plan

• Streamline design by remove Marketing heros and decluttering interface

• Personalize callouts  for user (Roster size, Reports, etc.)

• Have a section for  “Books by Grade/Level”  and  “Decodable Books” along with other resources business (Product Managers) desired be on the page

• Include a section for the Seasonal resources called  “Plan Ahead”

Resistance and Collaboration

Initial reaction: Product pushed back with concerns over data complexity and perceived risk to existing layout. They also didn’t want a “Plan Ahead” section at all because it was “below the fold” and they didn’t think users would engage with it.

Approach

• UX presented user search data + qualitative insights to Product Management

• Collaborated with product management and content on other resources users might want, or the business wants to put in front of users

• Built low-effort prototype to show the concept in action

  1. Usability tested with users

• Aligned with marketing on potential downstream conversion benefits

The Results

25% increase in trial conversions via Marketing tracking

Product takeaway 

Using data works - user intent data is powerful

Engagement data (via Pendo)

• Users are engaging with the menu, search, personalized callouts, and the resource cards

• Suggested cards ranked #1, #2, and #5 among all resource cards (15 cards total)

• Even though “Plan Ahead” is below the fold it still came in at #2 by a large margin

• Significant lift in click-through and session time on suggested resources